


Prompts

by Antopops



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M, Fighting, Natural Disaster, Romance, Sparring, prompts
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-26
Updated: 2015-11-26
Packaged: 2018-05-03 11:12:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,058
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5288522
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Antopops/pseuds/Antopops
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A series of short stories I wrote (and am currently writing) to go along with a corresponding prompt. Mostly I need a way to work past writers block so I came up with these.  <br/>All Cullen x Inquisitor<br/>Feel free to comment more prompts and I'll try to write those as well!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt 1: Natural Disaster  
> Modern! AU

Kaya had been in the kitchen getting water when it happened. She set down her glass and scrolled through her email feed, mindlessly rocking in place. Suddenly the water in her glass began to slosh over the sides, and the fridge in the tiny apartment started to rattle.

If it were Cullen who’d been in her shoes, the reaction to the earthquake would have been much slower. But Kaya moved fast, realizing right away what was happening. The shaking grew, and tiny cracks formed along the sides of the walls. She knew there was no time to get to the bedroom to warn Cullen.

“Cullen!” she shouted. If she couldn’t get back to the bedroom she had to make sure he was awake and would _stay_ that way.

The pictures that hung in the hallway fell to the ground, glass shattering and decorating the floor. Kaya dove for cover under their coffee table, hoping that it would to the job for her tiny 5’4” frame.

“Kaya?” Cullen stood in the doorway to their bedroom, and Kaya made a mental note to slap him. She was fine, and he was endangering himself by not taking cover.

“I’m fine! Get under something, and take Roo with you!”

A loud crack resonated throughout the entire third floor, and dust and rubble fell from the ceiling. She covered her head, squeezing herself into a smaller ball and flinched every time something landed near her. She hoped that Cullen and Roo were safe somewhere in the bedroom.

By the time the shaking stopped at least a minute had passed. It seemed longer, but she knew the reality was much shorter. The debris from the ceiling had landed propped against the coffee table in virtually every direction, effectively trapping her under. Kaya risked pushing at one of the slabs of ceiling with her foot and pulled it away when the whole thing crumbled and caused more dust and plaster chips to fall around her. There was no way she would chance moving anything if it meant she’d get crushed.

“Kaya, where are you?” Cullen’s voice was muffled from all the plaster board surrounding her, but she still heard him.

“Under the coffee table.” Her throat stung from all the dirt and dust she’d inevitably inhaled. Cullen’s footsteps were quick and heavy, stopping to the left of the table near her feet. She knew when he tried to move the rubble when the coffee table creaked above her. “Wait!”

“What’s wrong?”

“I don’t think it’s a good idea to move anything.”

“I’m not leaving you under there!” he said incredulously. The sound of Roo’s indignant whine reached Kaya through the fort of plaster and more relief flooded through her. Their puppy was alright too.

“I’m fine Cullen. Go outside and wait for the fire department then send them up here. I don’t want anything getting shifted and falling on you.”

The coffee table creaked again but didn’t give way when Cullen finally managed to shove one of the pieces of the ceiling away from her cocoon. The opening was small, she could probably fit through if she really weaseled her way through. “I’m not leaving without you. Give me your hand.”

She could see the silhouette of his hand through the unsettled dust and reached for it, against her initial judgement. Cullen’s other hand clamped around her wrist and tugged gently, enough so that her head made its way through the hole.

“If you can get your arms out I can pull you through.” His hand never left hers as she wriggled her tiny frame out, and true to his word he pulled her through. The coffee table never collapsed and she was grateful she’d been wrong. As soon as she was freed and Cullen made sure she wasn’t broken, Roo bounced at her heels and she picked up the pup and scratched behind her ears.

“We should probably see if the fire escape is still in tact.” Cullen offered. He turned around to open the large window opposite to the now damaged TV. Kaya gasped audibly when she saw the blood trickle that ran down Cullen’s neck and disappeared below his shirt.

“Cullen! You’re hurt!” she set Roo down and nearly barreled into him to run her fingers through his hair, albeit gently, until she found a small wound near his scalp. “When did this happen?”

“Probably when I stuck my head out from under the desk to grab Roo.” On cue the pooch yipped at the two, probably eager to leave the apartment.

Despite his injury she smacked his shoulder and frowned. “You’re too careless. I’ll get a better look at it when we’re outside.”

With Roo in arms, the two carefully made their way down the fire escape and joined the rest of the complex tenants in the parking lot. Kaya immediately spotted Josephine and Leliana huddled together and Josie waved over at the two, relief showing on her kind face.

“You alright?” Cullen asked.

Kaya shook her head and grinned up at him. “I’m the one who should be asking _you_ that.”

“I don’t know, a small scratch hardly compares to that rock fort you had going.”

“Touche.”

He gingerly wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close, Roo snuggled comfortably in Kaya’s arms. They people watched for a few minutes before Cullen broke the silence once more.

“I was having such a nice dream, too.”

Kaya couldn’t help herself, she started laughing. This might be a rough patch but they’d be alright. She was sure of it. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt 2: "Say uncle"

The training grounds were always lively, but when the Inquisitor herself walked out on to the field to speak to the Commander they were deathly silent. She noticed too. At first she thought she’d done something wrong, but she later learned the soldiers were intimidated and afraid. Her little sit down with Bull and the two soldiers her opened her eyes to that, but to experience it first hand like this was unsettling to say the least.

She was just one person. And an elf at that.

Ignoring the sidelong glances she received she eventually found Cullen. In the middle of a ring of soldiers who were cheering as he and another trainee fought hand to hand. Amused, she weaseled her way through the bodies to watch up front and smiled at the soldiers who did a double take when they noticed her beside them.

The trainee was smaller than Cullen, and seemed to hesitate with each of his moves. He seemed to have a decent sense of how to block and defend himself in general. But when it came down to attacking outright he was utterly lacking. Cullen exploited this and talked the boy through simple take down maneuvers, and soon after demonstrated.

The boy wheezed on the ground, regaining the sense of how to breathe properly once Cullen had finished throwing him around. Cullen helped the recruit up and gave him a sturdy pat on the back and ushered him through the ring.

“Don’t forget to practice, we’ll pick it up tomorrow.” Kaya wasn’t certain but she thought she heard the boy whimper when Cullen said that.

The Commander’s eyes immediately found Kaya, her luminescent blonde hair drawing his attention and officially being captured by her presence when he saw her emerald green eyes.

“Ka- Inquisitor,” he smiled at her, painfully aware of the young trainees watching them. “How long have you been there?”

“Long enough to see everything is going well over here.” She returned his smile and adjusted her bow which was still strapped to her back from her recent return from the Storm Coast.

“I must ask Inquisitor, do you ever use self defense? Hand to hand, I mean. The bow might make it a little difficult.” He asked, a teasing undertone coated his words. An unspoken challenge, Kaya decided.

“I’m good enough with the bow that they never get close enough for me to need to use hand to hand, Commander.” A smirk danced on her lips and the cadets let out a string of murmurs and laughs.

Cullen’s lip twitched upward, a clear sign he was both amused and ready to rectify the burn he’d just received. “Is that so? Then a test of your skills would be meaningless wouldn’t it?”

She raised an eyebrow at him and noticed the ring had gotten seemingly smaller as the soldiers attempted to listen in. “Meaningless but not declined.”

He smiled and took a step back, a wordless invitation. She pulled her bow off her back swiftly and handed it to the young cadet who’d been standing next to her with a thank you, then joined Cullen in the center of the ring.

“I _assume_ you know what you’re doing, but I’ll go easy on you nonetheless.” Cullen said, his swagger rolling off him in waves. The smirk he gave her made her grin and she took stance.

“Much appreciated, Commander.”

Much to Cullen’s surprise, Kaya attacked first. She darted to the left, low and fast, and quickly came up with a push kick to his middle. Her speed had taken him completely by surprise, and the hit found its target, causing him to stumble back though more out of surprise. The ring expanded as soldiers made more room for joining trainees who were curious to see who would best who.

Cullen righted himself and half smiled at her. “Beginners luck.”

She shrugged. “I’m no beginner.” Which was, in fact, true. She’d been the best hunter in her clan, and while she couldn’t use a sword to save her life, her skills with a dagger had been impeccable. The coordination required to wield daggers had helped her when the blacksmith had trained her to fight hand to hand. While her skills had seemed sloppy then, they’d come in handy in the Inquisition so far, and had been honed to a sharp point.

Cullen lunged first, sweeping his leg out to catch her feet. She jumped back, but while she was quick, he was overall longer than her and easily snaked his leg around hers and knocked her off her feet. She landed with a grunt and saw him moving to enact the final blow, but as soon as he got close she rolled out of the way and jumped up swiftly, landing in a crouched position that she utilized.

She pounced like a cat, using her momentum to swing her legs around his torso once she’d gripped his arm and sent him spinning into the same spot she’d been in moments before. Cheers erupted from the ring and she saw soldiers handing each other coins, some looking more disappointed than others.

Cullen coughed from the ground and stared up at her from the ground. She couldn’t help the triumphant smile that spread across her face, and he knew she was letting her guard down now thinking the fight was over. Using the same move as before, he snaked his leg out and kicked her knees out from under her. She yelped in surprise and fell to the ground face first. He was on top of her in an instant, her arm pinned behind her back with his knee digging into her bony hips.

“Say uncle.” he practically purred. Something snapped and a burst of adrenaline rushed through her, allowing her to take him by surprise once more and brought her head back. It connected with his forehead, sending him reeling back and giving Kaya enough room to roll over and jump up. She rushed him before he could recover and snatched his arm away from his face and brought it behind him, pinning it firmly in place. She was practically straddling his back like a backpack and her weight sent him falling forward.

She only leaned forward and said in his ear, “You first.”

Cullen grunted and finally relented, tapping the dirt when she nudged his arm up a little more. The cheers went up again, the majority of the ring clearly amused and probably surprised their 5’4” Inquisitor had managed to take down the Commander of the Inquisition. Kaya gracefully stood up and offered him her hand, and he took it. She could tell he was bummed to lose, but she gave him a look that told him she would make it up to him later.

 

 


End file.
